


let me count the ways

by imposterhuman



Series: pride ficlets 2020 [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Asexual Bucky Barnes, Boys In Love, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24791701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imposterhuman/pseuds/imposterhuman
Summary: “I don’t want to sleep with you!” Bucky blurted out, recoiling as if burnt.Tony immediately slid off of his lap, backing up with his hands up. “Okay,” he said, trying to calm some of the wild panic he saw in Bucky’s eyes. “Okay, that’s fine. I’m sorry for pushing it.”“It’s not you,” Bucky said. He looked angry-- more with himself, though, than with Tony.Tony put on what he hoped was a placating smile, sitting down in the armchair next to the sofa to give Bucky some space. “Do you want to talk about it?”“FRIDAY’s been helping me do some reading, and…” Bucky trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I think I’m asexual?"
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: pride ficlets 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1788655
Comments: 11
Kudos: 292





	let me count the ways

**Author's Note:**

> for all my ace peeps out there: you are an important and valid part of the lgbt+ community and we love yall :))
> 
> enjoy!!

Tony and Bucky had been dating for almost five months, and everything about it was perfect. Bucky truly was the ideal boyfriend-- he didn’t complain about Tony working late in the lab, he brought snacks and coffee refills whenever Tony needed them, and was an amazing kisser on top of it all. Tony was pretty much head over heels in love with the other man and he had no inclination to ever give that up.

There was only one problem. Well, it wasn’t a  _ problem _ , per se, but it was certainly… odd, considering the trajectory of all of Tony’s past relationships. Tony and Bucky hadn’t had sex, or really gone past kissing at all. Not that Tony minded taking it slow, but five months was a long time. 

Tony knew he should talk to Bucky about it, communicate like a good boyfriend, but he was a little scared. What if Bucky didn’t want him because he was old and scarred while Bucky was basically Adonis? In that case, ignorance was bliss, and Tony had a tendency to believe the worst case scenario. So he kept his mouth shut and his pants on.

It all came to a head one night when they were making out in the common room like teenagers. Tony was perched on Bucky’s lap, kissing him to the soundtrack of their abandoned movie in the background. Tony opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, Bucky responding eagerly. His hands were fire-hot on Tony’s hips, but they were just… resting there, not going any lower. Tony tried to wordlessly signal that it was okay, squirming a bit, but Bucky still didn’t move. Fondly frustrated by Bucky’s 40’s manners, Tony decided to take matters into his own hands.

One of his hands wound through Bucky’s hair, while the other reached down for his zipper. And then--

“I don’t want to sleep with you!” Bucky blurted out, recoiling as if burnt.

Tony immediately slid off of his lap, backing up with his hands up. “Okay,” he said, trying to calm some of the wild panic he saw in Bucky’s eyes. “Okay, that’s fine. I’m sorry for pushing it.”

“It’s not you,” Bucky said. He looked angry-- more with himself, though, than with Tony. 

Tony put on what he hoped was a placating smile, sitting down in the armchair next to the sofa to give Bucky some space. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“FRIDAY’s been helping me do some reading, and…” Bucky trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “I think I’m asexual? I understand if that’s a dealbreaker, and I’m sorry for not telling you before now, but I just--”

“Okay, hold it right there, Bucky bear,” Tony raised a hand to cut him off. “First of all, you don’t have to be sorry. You tell me things on your timeline, not mine. If you weren’t ready before, you weren’t ready. I’m not mad at you for that.”

“If you want to break up, I get it,” Bucky nodded sadly, averting his eyes. “I’m not going to ever be able to go past kissing. I know that’s not what you want, and I don’t want you to be unhappy.”

“Do  _ you _ want to break up?” asked Tony, incredulous. “Why on earth do you think I want to break up with you?”

“Because I won’t sleep with you?” Bucky said miserably.

Tony reached over and grabbed Bucky’s hand, squeezing it tight. “You,” he said, enunciating clearly so that Bucky couldn’t possibly miss the point. “Are an  _ idiot _ . I’m not with you for your body, Bucky Barnes. Sex is not the end-all-be-all here.”

Bucky met his eyes hesitantly. “Really?”

“Really,” Tony nodded. “Babe, I’m in love with  _ you _ . The person who makes coffee every morning, even though he doesn’t drink it. The person who holds me through all my nightmares and doesn’t judge me for what I’ve done. The person who won’t admit that he snores like a small plane engine, who I’ll gladly sleep next to anyway.  _ You _ , Bucky. Sure, I like sex. But I’ll gladly give it up, so long as I get to have you with me in all the ways you’re comfortable with. I’m not going to break up with you until you’re tired of me, and even then I’m going to hold on with all I have, because you’re it for me, Bucky Barnes. Even if you don’t want to sleep together.”

Bucky’s smile was a beautiful thing, like the sun breaking through the clouds after a long storm. “I love you, too,” he whispered. He squeezed back and brought Tony’s hand up to his mouth, kissing his knuckles chastely. “I love you so much.”

Tony smiled wide. He knew there would be more to say, because there was no way that all of Bucky’s doubts were gone in one conversation, but Tony  _ also  _ knew that he’d happily spend the rest of his life reminding Bucky that he loved him, no matter what. There were worse things to do.

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos make me happy :))
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr [@imposter-human](https://imposter-human.tumblr.com/)


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